Ardently
by staryskylines221
Summary: To Kagome life has stopped since her time ended in the Feudal Era but all her family wants is for her to move on. One day Misaki receives a call from his Aunt stating that his precious cousin needs him. Wasting no time Misaki brings her to his and Akihiko's home to nurture her back to health. During her stay she meets a heart broken professor whom she has a lot in come with...


Chapter 1

_"Misaki?" The worn and tired voice of the loving older woman he once knew so well called his name._

_"Aunt Uru? Is everything alright?" It had been at least three years since Misaki had heard from his mother's sister. If he recalled correctly he stopped visiting once his cousin became sickly, harboring illness after illness. She was too tired for visits and after a while he stopped going instead focusing all his time on school and his elder brother._

_"Misa it's about Kagome." His aunt heaved a heavy heartbreaking sigh and Misaki instantly felt his stomach clench painfully with worry. As children Kagome and Misaki had been extremely close, one was rarely seen without the other. They did everything together and when his parents died it was Kagome, and his brother, who had stuck by him not wanting to leave his side so she could make sure he was ok. He remembered the little raven haired girl had thrown a monumental fit one day when Misaki fell ill with a cold and her mother told her she couldn't go to him. Kagome had sneaked out of the house and walked all the way to his house, only several blocks but she had been only 6 at the time, to go and take care of him. She had tended to him with out question feeding him ,washing and even comforting him when he cried for his deceased parents._

_"What's the matter with Kagome? Is she ok? Where is she?" Misaki held the phone tighter, his knuckles turning white in the process. His heart was thumping in his chest violently as his imagination ran wild. _

_"Misaki calm down, dear. Kagome is not physically hurt but..." Suddenly there was a heavy sob on the other line and Misaki freaked out. What had happened to his cousin to make his usually put together Aunt cry in such a way. "Misa, she really needs you right now. Kagome has lost a lot of people she cares for and I'm afraid she won't be able to pick herself up. She doesn't eat, she refuses to leave her room and when I check on her at night she isn't sleeping. She's just there and I..." Another heart wrenching sobb and Misaki knew his compassionate Aunt was on the verge of an emotional meltdown._

_"Aunty Uru don't worry I'll come and visit Kagome tomorrow. I refuse to let herself waste away." It was true, he would do whatever it took to help his precious cousin. Kagome had took care of him when they were younger and now it was his turn. He turned his gaze toward his lover, although he would never admit that aloud, who had been hovering in the living room out of worry for him and green eyes clashed with purple. _

_"I'll go with you." Misaki sent a small grateful small to the novelist as he felt his chest warm. Akihiko was always there for him and Misaki knew this time would be no different._

_"I'll be there tomorrow Aunt Uru with my roomate so please tell Gome that I'm coming." _

_"I will. Misaki thank you so much. I don't mean to interrupt your life I just didn't..." He cut her off before she could finish._

_"I love Gome, and I miss her anyway. If she needs me I'll be there always." _

Misaki glared at the numerous steps that led to the shrine his cousin lived in. Now he remembered why he had been in such good shape before Kagome became ill. Sighing heavily he took the hand of his lover in his own, holding back a blush, before darting up the steps.

"I hate those stairs." He grumbled irritably as Akihiko chuckled nonchalantly beside him. The green eyed boy had to wonder though, for someone who had more smoke coming out of him than a chimney how could he have gotten up those stairs so quickly. Glancing over Misaki grimaced when he noticed the smirk the novelist was sending his way. Smug bastard.

"Misaki?" At the mention of his name Misaki turned around only to be smothered by his Aunt Uru who was looking worse for wear. Her big brown eyes had lost the shine they had when he and his cousins were younger and she had dark circles under her eyes. Her hair, although shorter than his memories recalled, was lack luster and her clothes looked like they were starting to swallow her up.

What the hell was going on?

"Hey Aunty, it's so nice to see you again." He hugged her back, taking care not to squeeze too tight for fear he would hurt her.

"I'm glad as well I just wished they were under better circumstances." Her dull earth brown eyes wavered on Akihiko before returning to him, silently asking who he was. Misaki nervously rubbed the back of his neck as he sent the small woman a gentle, yet shaky, smile.

"Ah, Aunty this Aikihiko Usami my roommate." He flushed at the quizzical way his Aunt was staring at him. Uru Higurashi was anything but a fool and he knew it was only a matter of time before his Aunt figured out their relationship. He just hoped she was ok with it.

"He is your lover." She stated bluntly causing both men to stare at her in shock.

"Aunty...he is...I.." He was cut off before he could continue by a voice he missed so much.

"Don't worry Aki, no one cares whom your lover in this house. As long as you are treated well." Turning to the voice who spoke Misaki almost fell to his knees with the force of his dismay.

Kagome, his adored cousin, looked liked hell warmed over as she stood on the porch of her house. Her long wavy raven black hair was lacking the youthful sheen it should have. Her once glimmering tanzanite eyes were scarily dull and lifeless with rings of dark circles underneath. Her cheeks were sunken in as if she wasn't eating enough, which he knew was true from his conversation with his Aunt and she was practically buried in her clothes. So skinny and frail looking it caused him to unknowingly begin to cry.

"Aki?" Her voice cracked with weariness but it was still soothing to his ears. He rushed to her, taking note that she had opened her arms wide for him to crash into, and hugged her. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." She mumbled as she wiped away his tears.

He didn't say anything, he couldn't. He was angry he was sad and scared and didn't speak out of fear for what he would say. How could she do this to herself! Not just to her, but to her family and to him too! His anger went through the roof and he picked her up bridal style, ignoring her pleas to be set down, before entering the house and sitting her down on the sofa.

Without a word he left to the kitchen hell bent on fixing her something good to eat and then forcing it down her throat if he had to. He moved in the kitchen with practiced ease as he noted that his Aunt hadn't changed a single thing since his last visit. It wasn't even ten minutes later that he was done fixing her a bowl of her favorite food, oden. He placed the bowl of food on a serving tray along with a cup of water and three cups of tea. Cautiously he returned to the living room, setting the tray on the coffee table and turning a sharp look onto his cousin.

"Eat." Her big blue eyes, that looked more sapphire in color now that they were inside, were looking at him with an emotion he couldn't place. As long as he had known Kagome she had been a fairly bright girl, optimistic and very loving, but she always resembled a girl of her age but now she looked older than she was and he had to wonder what hell she had been through. Her eyes were tired looking and seemed weighed down with life. It was tearing him apart that he had not been their for when she needed it the most.

A frail hand reached out from under a thick blanket towards the bowl of oden before weakly grabbing it and placing it in her lap. Misaki watched with watery eyes as she took bite after bite and he was sure that he could hear his Aunt crying happily beside Akihiko on the other sofa across from him.

"So Aunty how did you know..." He was cut off but the warm look his Aunt was giving him.

"That you two are lovers? Easy, the way you look at one another is a dead give away. Not to mention your body language, when he moves you move and vice verse. You are both very in-tuned to each other. It's very sweet." His mouth was hanging open and his face was full on blushing but he still made sure to send quick glances to his cousin now and again to make sure she was ok. He absentmindedly made her drink a few sips from the water he prepared before passing everyone their tea.

"You don't mind?" Akihiko's deep voice rang with surprise and Misaki sent him a small smile. The man had major family issues so he wasn't use to this sort of setting. A close knit family, like his, was something he knew the older man always wanted, even if he never said it aloud.

"Mr. Usami..." Kagome's voice called causing he and his lover to turn to her. " I think I speak for my family when I say it isn't our place to judge. Misaki is...well his important to me and as long as he is happy then we are ok. Family is family." The tender gaze she sent his lover had him bursting with pride. He loved his family for this reason. They loved like no other and were always there for one another. "As far as I'm concerned your part of our family now. Speaking of family, Mama I'm so sorry I've caused so much trouble." Misaki watched as Kagome began to cry, her tears marring her face as she apologized to her mother. "No matter what happened I shouldn't have let myself waste away like that. I love you, Mama." Green eyes watched as Uru hugged her daughter as they both cried.

His eyes caught the gaze of his roommate and Misaki had to stop himself from narrowing his eyes in question. Akihiko Usami had that look and he knew what that look meant. He was totally up to something and Misaki could feel a spaz attack coming on as he tried to figure out what it was.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Higurashi?" His Aunt turned to his boyfriend with a questioning look.

"If it would help I'd like for Kagome to move in with Misaki and myself. I think a change of venue would help her recover faster and she could attend the same college as Misaki." His eyes widened before he turned to look at Kagome. If she did move in it would reassure him alot and he had no doubt that was one of the reasons why Usami offered in the first place. The fact that his lover thought about him and his comfort to such an extent made his heart warm.

"Wouldn't that be a lot of trouble for you? I mean...I well, look at me. I'm not exactly up to par right now." Misaki couldn't help but snort. His cousin was an idiot at times. Up to par? Who the hell said that about themselves?

"Why are you offering, if I may ask?" Leave to his Aunt to not want to offend someone even when she was skeptical.

He watched as Akihiko threaded his fingers together as he leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees before offering a small smile. "You have given me and the one I love a precious gift. I was never on good terms with my family for many different reasons and to be welcomed so easily into your family brings me joy. I just wish to see Kagome get well again. Not to mention it would bring peace of mind to Misaki." Misaki flushed sweetly under the purple eyed gaze of his partner.

"Won't I be interrupting your love life?" Misaki choked on his tea at Kagome's question. How in the world did she get the gall to be so blunt?

"I assure everything will be fine." Akihiko chuckled and Misaki nodded in agreement watching as Kagome bit her lip in thought, a habit she apparently did not grow out of.

"Mama, I..."

"Go ahead sweetheart. I know your heart will continue to ache while you are here. Just...promise me you will take care of yourself and that you will call and visit regularly." His Aunt cried as she held his cousin and he patted her on the head soothingly.

"I'll make sure she gets better, even if I have to sit on her and force feed her." Uru giggled and so did Kagome before a small black haired blur crashed into his cousin.

"Kags!" A surprisingly deep voice whined and Misaki glanced to see his other cousin, Sota.

Misaki blanked when he got a good look at the boy, he was taller than himself and looked to have more muscles too. Sota had been only 12 going on 13 the last time he had saw him which would make him 16 now. He looked so much like his sister it was scary. The only major difference, besides the obvious, were his eyes. Instead of a dazzling blue they were a charismatic warm chocolate color.

"Hey squirt." Kagome joked even as she held her brother close. "I've missed you, I'm sorry." Misaki watched as Sota soothed his sisters hair lovingly as he held her tightly. Misaki knew what kind of hold that was, protective. Even when they were younger Sota had cherished his older sister and it seemed that time had not changed that like it would have for most teenage boys. The youngest Higurashi curled around his sister as he held her as if trying to, subconsciously, shield her from the world and whatever harm may come her way. It was an endearing sight to behold.

"How are you the older one when I'm so much smarter than you are." He teased her and Misaki knew it was only to cover the worry he felt.

"Brat!" She tried swatting him but her strength failed her and Misaki watched with sad eyes as she began huffing and puffing as though she had just ran a marathon.

"Sota dear don't you remember your cousin?" Sota turned his brown eyes on him and Misaki chuckled at the shock look on the younger boys face.

"Misaki!" He was crushed in a hug before the boy gave him a boyish grin and patting him on the head. "Your so small."

"I'm not small!" He glared at his lover when he heard the deep vibrations that were his unique laughter.

"Oh, who is this?" Sota tilted his head to the side reminding Misaki of a curious puppy as he thought about how to answer him.

"Oh that's Akihiko Usami, Aki's lover." Kagome added nonchalantly and internally Misaki freaked out. It was one thing telling his female family members. It was another thing entirely to tell the males. He figured they wouldn't be as understanding and possibly disgusted.

He was proven wrong however.

"Sup, man. Nice meeting you." Sota crushed his boyfriend into a hug and Misaki just stood there in shock, so did Akihiko. If the conversation had been about anything else he would have found it comical the way his boyfriend froze, hands in the air and body stiff from shock.

"You, how are you acting so comfortable with me?" Akihiko questioned wearily.

"Do you not like to be touched? Shit...ow! Kagome you didn't have to throw that at me." The young raven haired boy whined.

"Watch your language you brat!"

"Anyway sorry man, I didn't know you didn't like being touched." Another object went sailing towards his head and Misaki laughed as the boy was knocked over by the force of it. Somehow he felt the odd sense of deja-vu as he watched the object go sailing across the room towards the younger male.

"That's not what he meant squirt. He was wondering why you were so comfortable with the fact that he and Aki are gay!" Kagome yelled at her brother and Misaki had to place a comforting hand on her head to calm her down. He didn't like the way her breathing was becoming heavy due from all her yelling and energy expending. She needed to take it easy for the time being.

"Oh that, who the hell am I to judge. As long as Aki is happy I'm cool.'' Green eyes watched a pensive look cross his cousins face. "Doesn't that make him, like, our cousin or something? Anyway your family so get use to it." With that Sota bounded up the stairs leaving behind a room of disbelieving people in his wake.

"How can he assume he is smarter than me?" Kagome asked aloud and the room shook with everyone's laughter.

The rest of the visit went by quick with Misaki constantly hovering over Kagome as she packed her belongings. They had come to the decision that there really was no reason for her to wait in order to leave since she would become at another date. Especially when she was ready and willing to leave now. So Misaki rushed up to his cousins small pink bedroom and packed furiously as the raven haired beauty giggled at him. He honestly didn't care that he probably looked like some crazed mother hen, all he wanted was for Kagome to have a new start as fast as she could. Honestly, he still was in a bit of a shock that Akihiko had even asked the tiny girl to come with them. The amethyst eyed author was extremely possessive of the green eyed boy and a lot of the time he had a real jealous streak. So to Misaki he wanted nothing more than to thank his boyfriend for his sweet gesture.

It was an hour later when he deemed that he had safely packed everything that she would need immediately. "Ready to go, Gome?" He asked her softly as she stared up at the large tree Goshinboku. He never remembered her being so attached to the old tree when they were younger but now she looked like she would cry from the separation.

"Yeah, Aki. I'm ready, I already told everyone goodbye." He watched in awe, with Akihiko by his side, as his cousin placed a tender kiss upon the tree. "Watch them for me please, Goshinboku." He didn't want to say it aloud but he thought it was kind of foolish to ask help from an aged tree. At least until the wind picked up suddenly causing the leaves on the old tree to shake in silent answer. His draw dropped when Kagome sent him a smug smile.

"What the hell was that?" His cries of hysteria were ignored as he helped her down the stairs of the shrine and seemed to only provided entertainment for her. Sweet tender laughter caressed his ear and though he wanted a reply he let it go for now, his cousin was glowing with happiness at the moment and he did not want anything to ruin that.

He watched as his lover quickly and gently helped Kagome into the back seat of the car before he got in the red sports car himself. Looking at her over his shoulder he knew she wasn't going to return to her old self over night and that he would have to have patience. For Kagome he would watch over her as she had done for him so many times when they were children. He loved her after all and he had an inkling that she would be worming her way into many more hearts soon enough. He just hoped that she would find the right heart that would make her happy.

So as they drove away from Sunset shrine neither were away of exactly which heart she would hold in her hands or the fact that soon another would hold her heart in their hands as well.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXO

_Hello everyone! So I love this show and decided that I would love nothing more than to write a crossover. Please read and review. I don't know if alot of people will be reading this, or will even want, since it's such a small crossover section but if you do I hope you enjoy._

_I don't own anything. _

_Until next time._


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